Safety device for preventing hot journals.



L. E. MARVIN. SAFETY DEVIOBFOR PREVENTING HOT JOURNALS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1912.

1,058,993. Patented p 15, 1913.

Zyerziar:

'. brake system 'that the fusible member can position on a'journal box. Fig. 3 is a sec- New York, have invented a new and useful in ontact with the journal, so as to be readjournal and is adapted to control a valve LESTER E. MARVIN, or

BUFFALO, NEW vonK.

SAFETY DEVICE Eon PREVENTING Horn JoUnNALs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application 111m April 17, 1912. Serial no. 691,331.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESTER E. MARvm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of:

Improvement in Safety Devices for Preventing Hot Journals, of which the following'is a specification.

This invention relates to safety devices for preventing the excessive heating of the journals of railroad or other cars by 00-. operating with the air brake system tocause the brakes to be applied when the journal becomes abnormally hot.

The objects of this invention are to pro-v duce a device of this kind of improved construction, in which a fusible member is held ily fused by the heat thereofin theevent that the journal becomes heated above a predetermined degree; also .to so connect the fusible member with a valve in the air be readily replaced if necessary.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a car truck provided with a device for reventingthe heating of the journals, embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device on an 'enlarged scale, showing the same secured in tional elevation thereof on a still larger scale on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the side frame of a car truck, B the wheels of the truck,-C the journals and Dthe journal boxes. All of'these parts may be of any suitable or usual construction;

The safety device comprises a fusible member or rod, which bears against the car connected with the air brake system of a car or .train in such a manner that if the journal becomes hot enough to melt the fusible member, the. valve will discharge air from the air brake system and thereby cause the brakes to be applied.

The device may be connected to the journal box in any suitable manner, sons to bear on any desired portion of the journal. In the construction shown, a rod or member. E, which is made of some suitable fusible material, is so arranged that the end thereof bears on the journal and is, therefore, readily affected by the heat of the journal.

This fusible rod is preferably contained in a housing or casing F which is suitably secured at one end in a hole in the side of the journal box, and the other end of which is connected to the air-brake pipes of the car or train. A valve G, which ma be of any suitable construction, is located in the housing F- and is held to its seat by the fusible member E in-such a manner that, if the fusible member melts, the valve will open and discharge the air from the brake system, thereby causing the brakes to be applied. This valve may be connected with thefusible member E-- in any suitable manner. In the construction shown, the valve G is provided with a conical face which is adapted to engage with a corresponding seat in the housing F. The valve is pressed toward its seat against the pressure of the air in the end of the housing by a sprin H, which bears at one end against the va ve and at its other end against a pin 2' secured to a rod 1. The,

v Patented Apr. 15,1913.

rod I engages with the fusible member E a and presses the sameinto engagement with the car journal. The ends ofthe pin 11 extend throughslots z" in the housing 'F and serve to limit the movement of the rod I in the housing. s

In order to adapt the'device to be quickly and easily readjusted after the fusible member has been melted and to facilitate the insertion of a new fusible member, the housing or casing F is preferably made in two parts is and In, which are connected by a suitable coupling or union K, having' a screw' threaded engagement with one of the tubesand a flange k which'is adapted to engage with a flange k on the other tube,-

whereby the two arts of the housin can be readily connected and disconnecte The end of the part is? of the housing is connected to the air brake, system by means of a flexible tube or connection L and a pipe 1, secured to the Year or truck. The flexible tube L permits the two parts of the housing F to be so arated after the two parts t ereof have con disconnected, so that a new fusible member may be'inserted into the housing if necessary, and also prevents injury to the journal and the car body." After the fusible plinq K, thereby tightening the spring H to seat the valve and press the fusible member into engagement with the journal. The

ion device by reason of the motion between the as to'melt the fusible member E, the rod 1' will be moved toward the journal by the spring H. The pressure with which the spring bears against the valve G will thereby he decreased, so that the pressure of the air will unseat the valve, permitting the air to discharge from the pipes of the air brake system through the holes is and thus to apply the brakes. These holes are preferably made small to discharge the air gradually and prevent the sudden application ofthe brakes. The'holes also greatly facilitate the location 'of'a hot box after the train or car has been stopped, since noise of the air discharging through the holes serves as a signal -to indicate the location of the hot box.

The fusible member, bearing directly against the car journal, is readily affected bythe heat of the journal and will cause the stopping of a train or car beforethe journal is, heated sufficiently to be injured. If the On the spring would be immediately released journal is well lubricated, the end of the fu-.

sible member E will ride smoothly on the, journal, but if the journal is dry or not properly oiled, therod will heat and finally fuse and cause the setting of the brakes. The device also acts as a safeguard in case an axle should break, whereupon the tension and the bra es applied. The device is reli- 1 able in operation, is so constructedthat the defective journal-can be readily detected if the train or car is stopped, and can be readily re-adjusted after the brakes have en set.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a journal, of a fusible member bearing against said journal, means for holding said fusible member in contact .3 with, said ournal, and. a brake controlling device which is operatively connected with said fusible member,

substantially as set forth."

2. In a device of the kind described, the j combinationwith a car journal, of a brake brakes,

controlling valve which is ada ted to .be op= erated to cause the brakes to e applied to the car, a fusible member bearing against said journal, and a connection between said said valve to cause the brakes to be applie when the fusible member melts, substan tially as set forth.

fusible member and said valve for operating 3. In a 'device of the kind described, the

combination with a car journal, of a brake c onh'olling'valve which is adaptedto be operated to cause the brakes to be applied to the car, a fusible member which bears against said ournal, and a spring which presses said fusible member against said journal and closes said valve, whereby the melting of the fusible member will release the pressure on said spring and cause said valve to be opened to permit the brakes to be applied, substantially as set forth.

4. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a car journal, of a brake controlling valve which is adaptedto be opbe applied to erated to cause the brakes to the car, a fusible member which is located adjacent to said journal, connections between said fusible member and said valve for causing said valve to open when the fusible member melts, a housmgin which said fusible member and valve ,are contained,

said housing comprising two separably connected parts which are. adapted to be disconnected to permit a fusible member to be inserted therein, substantially as set forth. y

5. In a device of the kind described, the

combination with a car journal and a journal box, of a housing which is secured at one end to said journal box and connected at its other end to a pipe of an air brake system,-a brake controllingvalvein said housing which is adapted to be opened to apply the and a fusible member located in said housing adjacent to said journal and which is operatively connected with-said valve to permit the valve to open when the fusible member melts, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 20th day of December, 1911.

LESTER E. MARVIN. Witnesses:

- F. E. PROCHNOW,

C. B. HORNBECK. 

